Manger partition.



J. B. CLAY.

MANGER PARTI HON. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 5 I9 16- 1 26 1 f: 11, 4., Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

2 EEEEEEEEEEEE I.

J. B. CLAY.

MANGER PARTITION.

APF LICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1916.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- EYE v JOSEPH B. CLAY, 0F CEDAR FALLS, IOWA.

MANGER PARTITION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, 2, 191%.

Application filed. September 5, 1916. Serial No. 118,501.

capacity. The same is particularly designed for and is applicable in stock barns employed for the housing of cattle, where it is customary to arrange a row of stalls with a continuous manger, of a design that may be easily kept clean and flushed out as desired. The purpose of the partitions is to divide the continuous manger into an indi vidual manger for each animal, so that each one may secure only his allotted supply of rations.

The invention has among its objects the production of a manger partition of the kind described that is convenient, simple, compact, durable, eiiicient and satisfactory, and which may be installed without danger of possible injury to the stock from its use. It also has as an object the production of a partition of the kind described that may be raised or moved out of operative position to permit the easy cleaning of the manger, and which partition will remain in operative or inoperative position, as may be desired. It has as a further object the production of a device that may be slightly raised or given an initial movement, upon which the partition will automatically rise to an inoperative position and stop without shock or jar, remaining in raised position without latches or similar locks. It has as a further object the production of a manger partition which may be installed in connection with any of the styles of stall and manger equipment now on the market, either at the time of original installation of said equipment or at any time thereafter without requiring reconstruction of said equipment or disassembling of the same in order to apply the partition. Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and de scribed will appear to those skilled in the art, particularly those having use for such equipment, from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of several stalls and manger, equipped with my device;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of a portion of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my partition in operative position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same, raised to an inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodimentof my invention is shown, it may be mentioned that I have shown portions of two stall units, together with the manger and a portion of the floor. In the stall and stanchion constructions illustrated I have shown my preferred style, which is the subject matter of separate applications heretofore filed, and not necessary to describe or illustrate in detail here in, this being merely to make clear the installation and operation of the partition. It is particularly adapted for my equipment, although is substantially standard, and may be used upon any other construction or equipment. Referring to Fig. l, 1 represents a portion of the floor, having a curb 2 and manger or trough 3. Ordinarily in barn equipment of this kind the stalls consist of suitable piping or bars, which are carried in the curb 2, the curbs and mangers in the present practice beingmade of concrete or other suitable material. My stall consists of head bars 4, each of which has one depending leg 5 secured to the curb, the opposite leg 6 being relatively short and secured to the adjacent leg 5 of the next stall unit or leg. This is extended as at 6' with the end carried by the floor substantially at the gutter end of the stall. The stanchions 7 are carried by the head bars 4, with their ends ordinarily anchored to the raised curb 2.

The manger 3 is ordinarily made for the whole length, or at least a portion thereof, of the row of stalls, so that it is possible and easy to remove the litter and dirt in the manger, and if desired, flush the same out. Without partitions, however, the stock may push their food or rations toward an adjacent stall, or the stock in the adjacent stall may reach over and appropriate the rations of the stock in an adjacent stall. It is there fore desirable to have partitions which will divide the manger into individual units, but which partitions may be moved out of operative positions to permit the cleaning of the manger, as mentioned. For this it pro vide the desired number of partitions, each consisting of a plate 8 of suitable material, for example, sheet iron or steel, which may be reinforced or bound by the strips 9, if desired. It will be noted by referring to the drawings that the partition is so formed as to closely lit the manger when in operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. To support and secure the partition in place, I provide an arm 10, to which the partition is secured by bolts 12, or their equivalents for the purpose. I have shown slots 11 in the free ends of arm 10, so that the partition may be adjusted relative the arm in the desired manner. The arm 10 is suitably secured to a part of the stall structure, as shown to one of the legs 5 of the stall unit, as will be hereafter described. In the preferred construction I provide a yoke 13, to which the arm 10 is integrally connected, the two forming substantially a bellcrank, the free end of the yoke having an extension or offset 14%. The arm 10 and yoke 18 are pivotally carried by a bracket 15, or its equivalent.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the preferred bracket 15 shown is provided with extending parts 16, through which is passed one or more bolts 17, and a nut provided for drawing the ends 16 together so as to se curely clamp the bracket 15 to the upright It will be noted by referring to Figs. 5

and 6 that the ends 16 may be spread slightly in placing the bracket 15 on the upright 5, after which they may be drawn together by the bolt, securely locking the bracket on the leg 5. While any other suitable construction may be employed, it will be noted that my bracket 15 may be placed on the upright at any time after the upright has been installed, without requiring the disassembling of the stall. This is of importance as the stall parts. are usually set in concrete or other similar material, and even if detaehably secured to the curb, it would be expensive and require considerable labor to take down and then reinstall them, if

necessary to take down the structure. The

bracket is provided with an extending arm 20, which is formed with an extension 21, (see Fig. 2). I have illustrated a simple method of pivotally securing the yoke to the bracket 15. Referring to Fig. 6, bolts are carried by the bracket and extend through the ends of the yoke, the parts being securely held together by the nuts 23, or equivalent means. Obviously the ends of the yoke could not slip off the ends of the bolts even if the nuts were not employed, as the bolts are not removable except by taking off the brackets.

To maintain the partition in the operative or inoperative position, as well to facilitate its raising, I provide a spring 94, the ends of which I secure to the extensions 14. and 21 (see Fig. 2), the same being maintained in place by cotter pins 25, or equivalent means for the purpose. shown a spring 27, arranged on the upright 5, which may be employed, if desired, but it is not entirely necessary, as will be more fully explained hereafter.

it will be noted by referring to Fig. 3, that when the partition is down or in operative position the spring 2% is on one side of the pivotal pointof connection of the bell-crank on the bracket 15, so that the spring tends to maintain the partition in down or operative position. It will also be noted by referring to Fig. 4, that when the partition is raised orlil'ted, and is in its inoperative position, that the weight of the san'ie, as well as the spring 24:, which is on the other side of the pivotal connection, will tend to prevent the partition dropping to its operative position, shown in Fig. 3. If it is desired to raise the partition, assuming that it is down, as hown in Fig. 3, the same may be given an initial upward movement in any desired manner, and after a certain movement, the line throughthe spring connecting the extensions 14 and 21 passes the pivotal center of the bell-crank; conse- I have also quently the spring will tend to throw the v partition upward to the position shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted by referring to this figure thatthe spring 2% is slightly flexed and under compression, so that the same, after a predetermined movement of the partition, tends to retard its movement and bring it to a stop without The spring 2-? also serves to cushion or stop the partition at its desired limit of travel in an upward direction, the yoke 13' engaging the 'ame. Vihere spring 27 is not employed the yoke 13 may engage the support, as the spring 24 ordinarily retards the final move;

ment enough to prevent shock or ar.

It will be noted that the yoke serves as a stop, to limit the movement of the spring, but the same also affords a most satisfactory construction with the bearing at both sides of the bracket 15; consequently the partition has no side play and is not wabbly or loose. While this might not be so seriousat the time of installation, if the partition were hinged or pivoted only by one bolt 22, continued wear and side warping from use might result in the partition becoming wabbly. l Vit-h the construction shown,

' however, this is not the case, as the double bearing affords a most rigid and durable construction. It will be particularly noted by referring to Fig. 4 that when the partition is raised, that but a very small part of the same extends over the manger, and that it is of very good height above the manger consequently when the partitions are raised the manger may be cleaned most conveniently and without danger of injury to the partitions. hen the device is installed on my preferred stall support, it will be-noted that the same lies between the legs 5 and 6, where it is entirely out of the way, and where there is practically no chance for the same to strike the stock while being raised. Ordinarily I have not found it necessary or desirable to connect the several partitions to each other, as they may be so readily napped up individually, but they maybe connected, if desired, as for example by a bar C, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without delowered position, said means operative to aise the partition after an initial upward movement thereof, and thereafter yieldingly limit the movement of the partition and maintain it in raised position.

2. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a partition, supporting means therefor comprising a bracket, a yoke pivotally secured to the bracket on opposite sides thereof, means for adjustably securing said partition to said yoke, and means secured to said yoke and bracket for yieldingly maintaining saidpartition in an operative or inoperative position, said means operative to raise the partition after an initial upward movement thereof, and yield ingly oppose its movement after a predetermined travel thereof to its inoperative position.

3. In a manger device of the kind described and in combination, a movable partition, supporting means therefor comprising a bracket adjustably mounted on the stall structure, a yoke constituting one part of a bell crank lever and pivotally secured to said bracket on opposite sides thereof, an a m constituting the other part of said bell crank lever and secured at its free end to said partition, ann means for yieldingly maintaining said partition in an operative or inoperative position comprising a spring having one end secured to said yoke at its free end and the other end secured to said bracket.

l. In a manger device of the kind described and in'combination, a partition, supporting means therefor comprising a bracket provided with means for securing the same on the stall structure and having a stud projecting, at one side, a yoke part constituting one part of a bell crank lever and pivotally secured to said bracket, said yoke having a stud projecting near the free end at the side adjacent the stud on the said bracket, an arm constituting the other part of said bell crank lever and secured to said partition, and means for yieldingly maintaining said partition in an operative or in operative position as desired comprising a spring having one end secured to the stud on said yoke, and the other end to the stud on said bracket.

5. In a stall and manger device of the kind described and in combination, a movable partition and means for supporting and controlling said partition comprising a bracket provided with means for securing the same to a part of the stall structure, a bell crank lever consisting of a yoke pivotally secured to said bracket on opposite sides thereof, and an arm at one side of the yoke secured to said partition, a spring secured to said bracket and to said yoke adjacent the free end thereof, whereby when the partition is in operative position the spring will extend above the pivotal connection of the yoke and said bracket, and when the partition is in raised position the spring will lie below the pivotal connection.

6.' In a stall and manger device of the kind described and in combination, a partition, means for adjustably supporting and controlling said partition comprising a bracket provided with means for securing the same to a part of the stall frame, said bracket having a stud projecting outwardly at one side, a bell crank lever consisting of a yoke having the free ends pivotally secured to said bracket on opposite sides thereof, and having a stud at the outer end on the same side as the stud on said bracket, and an arm forming an extension for one side of the yoke on the opposite side of the bracket, said arm secured to the partition, a spring secured at one end to said bracket stud and at the opposite end to said yoke stud saidstnds so arran 'ed at Joints si 'ned m name in the resence of two sub- 7 H I: 7 b t i whereby when the partition is down the scribing Witnesses, spring w ll extend above the pivotal conneetion of the yoke and said bracket, and JOSEPH CLAY when the partition is in raised position the Witnesses: spring Will li e below the pivotal connection. JQHN H. MEY R, Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto GEO. F. Wool).

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Washington, D. C. 

